Bofolk Ballico - Giovanni Lyrics

It was back in black and white, nineteen fifties
When you travelled across the world, it took six weeks
You left your little house; it was just two rooms tall
You left your famiglia, friends and all.
When you arrived, you worked your way down south
You met your future wife and then you built a bigger house
And I guess the locals chose to call you Johnny
To avoid the extra syllables in Giovanni
Before too long, you made your self at home
Two boys, a wife and a new language to call your own
I bet you were scared to get back on the boat
It'd been fifteen years so far from home
Now I've heard the stories and I've seen the photographs
How you lost weight when you went travelling back
You were sick with guilt, two families can't be one
You were divided by ocean and blood
And I wonder when you knew that you'd never return
Or if your mother knew that she'd lost you to the world
It must've been so hard to get back on the boat
There's never been a harder six weeks afloat
And I wonder if you knew that we'd go back for you
And it'd only take one day in a flying steal tube
And I wonder if you knew that we'd stand in your small house
We met the cousins, you'd be proud
And I'm sorry but I'm thankful for the way it had to be
I'm sorry but I'm thankful for the way it had to be
You left your famiglia for your family
You left your famiglia for your family
You left your famiglia for your family